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Nerdist was started by Chris Hardwick and has grown to be a many headed beast.

Nerds and Geeks Unite!

by on June 6, 2011

For the small percentage of you who read Entertainment Business literature, you may have already heard the following news:

Nerdist Industries is partnering with Geek Chic Daily

Here’s the full press release, if you’re an “Official Statement” fetishist who demands full release. Now, what does this mean in practical terms? Basically that Peter Levin, founder of Geek Chic Daily, will take over the business-y parts of the growing Nerdist tentacles. I will get an infrastructure to take care of all of the stuff I hate doing like trying to raise money and manage every damn thing. I just want to make stuff. Managerial work tends to stunt the creative process so I hereby declare my release from its knobby grasp!


When Peter and I first starting meeting last year, we not only hit it off swimmingly as pals, but also quickly realized that our businesses complemented each other to an almost molecular degree. GCD is a daily email newsletter that fits snugly in the center of the content that Nerdist creates on all of its platforms. Peter is a super-smart business guy and I was a Philosophy major. Peter calls himself a Geek, I fall in the Nerd camp but it is good to cross the streams in this sense! He happens to be a real-deal geek who loves video games, comics and all of the stuff we jointly care about in the world. I would never partner with someone I thought was inauthentic or just wanted to exploit our culture. He’s a good dude who “gets it”. I had subscribed to the Geek Chic email newsletter before I met Peter and always loved the combination of quality geeksphere news with a strong, snarky voice. Additionally, GCD’s board is muy impressivo. From the press release:

GeekChicDaily’s investors and partners include Legendary Pictures, Joe Roth, Peter Guber, Bob Pittman, Seattle venture capitalist Mike Slade, Machinima CEO Allen DeBevoise and Japanese media juggernaut Yoshimoto Kogyo. Advisors and board members include former Daily Candy CEO Pete Sheinbaum, Pilot Group managing partner Andy Russell, Thrillist CEO and co-founder Ben Lerer, Broadway Video CEO Jack Sullivan, ex-Legendary and Activision executive Kathy Vrabeck and former Shine Reveille managing director Howard T. Owens.

If there’s one thing I’m a sucker for, it’s smart people. To be able to call these humans “partners” is pretty neato from where I’m sitting (which incidentally is in an unfinished office above a comic book store). I’m currently working on a Vulcan-type face-touching move that will allow me to siphon their collective wisdom, but until that happens it pleases me to know that I can simply ask them questions to learn things. Knowledge is the best currency, as far as I’m concerned, and you should always endeavor to seek it out from those who are smarter and wiser. Also, it will be fun to now have the resources to smite the careers of all of those who have wronged me in this business. (I kid! I kid! (sort of))

Here are some exciting (to me) changes that will be coming soon:
1) SITE RE-DESIGN! (I’ve been working with the Chrisses–my web designer & dev guy are both named Chris–to transition out of blog format, which I’m tired of looking at)
2) SMARTPHONE APP!
3) A PAID STABLE OF BLOGGERS! (I’ve been wanting this for a while)
4) NERDIST PODCAST NETWORK! (already in progress)
5) NERDIST TV! (nerd-themed television and web video content)
…And much much more!

Look, “Evil Empire” is an ugly term. I think of it more as a “Hug-pire”. I will hug the Entertainment Business really, really hard. The voice of the Nerdist won’t change–it will grow. This baby is still mine and Peter and his cadre of awesome Brain Senators will allow me to more fully expand across all platforms. It will afford me the opportunity to plant many Nerd flags across the landscape of traditional and new media, on which a surprising number of executives still puzzlingly consider Nerd culture “too niche”. Together, we will make those people look like wieners. I therefore celebrate this inter-racial marriage of Nerds and Geeks and hope that you, too, will join us in our continuing battle to topple the mouth-breathers with Nerdy/Geeky goodness!!!

I less than three you with a side of smiley emoticon,
Chris Effing Hardwick

 
72 comments read them below or add one

  3. Everything’s coming up NERDIST! (Congratulating) Huzzah for you, Chris Hardwick

  7. This is awesome. I am moving out to LA at the end of this year and am going to do my darndest to become an employee of the Nerdist Empire. Whether its video, audio, blogging, getting coffee WHATEVER. I need to be apart of the awesomeness that is Nerdist!

  8. So glad that I entered this community at its humble beginnings. I’m so happy to see it growing and getting the recognition it deserves. And working at the NerdMelt theater is awesome and seeing that grow into its own thing as well is equally as amazing. Mr. Hardwick keep up the amazing work, and I shall continue to follow you through hell and high waters! #NERDSUNITE

  11. FUCK YES. You’re the man Big C!!! Been on the nerdist podcast train since day 1 and I’m really happy that all these great things are happening to you, well that you’re making them happen I suppose!
    Up the Nerds!

  14. This sounds fantastic..Go Chris! This merging seems like a most profitable venture..-looks diabolical-

  18. YAY, been with Nerdist ever since it was a lil fetus, super excited and hope maybe I can get in on some of this action! Congrats Chris! You deserve all the success that you’ve been getting!

  19. CONGRATS! more great news for Nerdist, yaaay! Wow, between this news, WWDC, and E3 starting today, it’s been a total nerdgasm of fantastic news today!! :) (oh, and geekgasm, for our Geek Chic friends).

  21. As a blogger, I certainly think this is a good idea…. (cue fiendish grin) But it’s just a good move all around. Well done, sir!

  22. Where can I buy Hug-Pire stock? Aren’t we all missing the point though; didn’t the Empire lose to a fish and a walking carpet. (yes i know Admiral Akbar is Mon Calamari and not a fish)

  25. With all this expansion is Big C’s head and torso going to be too big to fit on G4 and Attack of the Show???

    Other than that I’m happy people are going to get paid now.

  26. I second the motion. Approved and carried. Now, I’d like to make a movement….

  28. I hope there will be a wp7 app. I shall have a side of non-smiley emoticon if it not-happens.

  29. Perhaps we can all getting matching tattoos to commemorate this occasion .

    “Nerd Life” Perhaps? Right across the abs

    -Art

  30. Well done sir. I’m inspired by this latest triumph and will continue absorbing your mind vittles via pod and web religiously.*

    *but not in a creepy way…
    Cheers

  31. Good job asshole. Glad you fellas are moving even further up in the world. Best of luck with your empire, may all of your dreams come to fruition.

    I’ll be here listening.

  33. All excellent news!

    We enjoyed your show in Seattle. Screw U2! We were at the best show in town with the best nerds ever!

  34. Congratulations, Chris! I’m continually gratified to find out that the industry has caught on…you and your network of awesome creative people deserve it!

  36. You’ve sold out! You’ve sold out to The Man!
    Big C? More like Big C-Crest!
    Shark Jumping alert!
    ‘I remember when Nerdist was cool. Back before the corporate sellout!’

    4 things which I am sure I will never utter in the future.

    Best of luck with the New Ventures of the Nerdist.

  37. I know nothing of this GeekChicDaily. Nor do I want to know.

    I will stick with Nerdist, however.

  38. @J-Rod much better fake out then the one i had in mind.

    –
    Way to go Big C you’re the man.

  39. Hey, just remember when the Nerdist site gets 7 mil. views a day, I was here in 2010 reading every post, you got that!]

    (No, but seriously, Congrats Big C. Just don’t lose touch with us smaller folk. ;)

  40. Im kinda bummed. In my mind “Nerdist” is what it is because of the work of 3 amazing dudes: Chris, Matt, and Jonah. Chris is absolutely the ringleader and bears the brunt of the work…no questions there….however the show/twitter/web/etc has gotten to the point its at (namely big enough to market/capitalize/join forces with other web corporations/expand/etc) because of the continuing efforts of the 3. That being said, Matt and Jonah have been suspiciously absent from every formal announcement. Yes Chris said they’d be involved in “his” TV show on the podcast, however nowhere in the press release above, nor the formal release for the TV show, are they mentioned?

  41. THIS IS MADE OF WIN! I’m so proud to be part of the growing Nerdist empire (I still am right?! It’s still cool to write about books right?! *hyperventilate*) and I can’t wait to see what awesome things are on the horizon! Yaaaaay all around!

  42. Congrats, this is fantastic news. It excites me to see how much Nerdist has grown and I can’t wait for everything to come. You da man Big C!

  43. Wow! Thanks everyone! I appreciate your awesomely kind words!!!

    three toes of fury: I understand your concern for Matt and Jonah but there’s no suspicious attempt to cut them out. I think what you may not fully understand is that it’s not just that I do “the brunt” of the work, I do 99% of it. Those guys would be the first to tell you that all they have to do is show up. I book, produce, schedule, edit, market and pitch the show all by my lonesome. I never stop thinking about it and how to grow it and make it better. It keeps me up at night, but I certainly don’t mind because it’s so dang fun. Honestly one of the best things I’ve ever decided to do with my life.

    It’s “our” show from a talent stand-point, but it’s “my” show from a legal ownership standpoint, so I guess that’s where the confusion maybe comes in for you. That’s what this article was about. But don’t worry about them! I am going to do my best to make those nerds rich because I love them! I know they make up so much of what is great about the Nerdist podcast and it certainly wouldn’t be the same without them (and will never be without them, as far as I’m concerned), but the podcast is only one element (of about five or six) of this bigger picture deal with GCD.

    As far as the tv show announcement, their deals weren’t done so we couldn’t officially say there were on the show yet, so that was that situation.

    I appreciate your being protective of Matt & Jonah, though. I am protective of them as well. I’m Team Matt AND Team Jonah! There! I said it!!! Felt gooooooood.

    EYB!

  44. I just signed up for that news letter your now apart of, if it’s good enough for BIG-C then I am sure I’ll like it.

  45. Christopher j. Harwick, you are a class act.
    You not only adressed my worry, but also replied w respect n understanding and completely put to rest any question of Matt/Jonahs roles in this crazy Nerdist whirlwind. I’m impressed beyond words. Thanks brotha!

    Nerdiest Fan 4 Eva
    3ToF

  46. Wow, this is so cool! I still want to be the web designer here (and am still available, am awesome and am smart – hint, hint LOL), but I obviously wish you all the continued success in the world. It’s nice to see something that’s obviously a labor of love grow and continue to grow like this site and the podcast have!

  48. Just as long as you don’t change the name to Nerd Chic Daily or Geekist I will be fine with whatever happens next. It’s always been all good!

    Wait, what about calling it Colecovision for that meta-taste? No? OK…fine.

  50. Hey Chris Congrats man! I’ve been following ya since the first podcast and it’s nice to see ur passion come to fruition! I’m psyched I tell all my friends and most ppl I meet about ur podcast! And I just saw a commercial for your BBC hosting deal on HULU! btw save me one of those slick, new Nerdist shirts

    Ur moving on up to that big Nerd apartment on the Eastside…lol
    Keep up the good work, Big C! (sry had to)
    Blerds Unite!!!! (sry for all the exclamation, but i’m excite

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